Pocahontas: Icon at the Crossroads of Race and Gender
in America

"THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, PAINTED IN 1575 BY JAN
van der STRAET, DEPICTING A NAKED INDIAN PRINCESS WELCOMING
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS AS SHE RECLINES ON A HAMMOCK (!)

Even before the first Englishman set foot on Virginia soil,
America was represented in the iconography of 16th century European
art as an Indian woman. She was depicted as variously savage and
seductive. Speculation as to the pre-civilized culture of the
virgin continent fuelled the fascination with this Indian Princess,
as the icon was called. When reports of Pocahontas' valiant intervention
on behalf of John Smith reached European ears, there must have
been a slight shock of recognition. The legend of the savage,
yet noble, Indian Princess already existed in an embryonic form
before anyone had ever heard of Pocahontas. She essentially stepped
into a ready-made iconic role.

IMAGE: THE DIPLOMATIC MEDAL

The Indian Princess was later used by the early republic to
represent itself. President Washington , in 1790, ordered one of four early congressional
medals to bear the image of the Indian woman.Thomas
Jefferson was instrumental in bringing this work, now known
as "The Diplomatic Medal", to fruition. He saw to it
that a French engraver of some renown execute the medal, which
bears the inscription "To peace and Commerce," and depicts
the United States as an Indian Princess holding a cornucopia filled
with fruit. She is welcoming Mercury, symbolizing commerce, to
her shores and seems to be calling his attention to bundles of
merchandise ready for export displayed at her feet.

Pocahontas then becomes inextricably linked to powerful image
of the Indian Princess and its identification with the very essence
of our nation. The 19th century, especially, saw a tremendous
concern with Pocahontas as the United States sought to fashion
a history for itself appropriate to its emerging identity.